To some, what I heard may sound like nothing more than typical preschooler babble. But when it comes to having a child with dwarfism, my ears are finely tuned to listen for these moments. And what I heard today came out loud and clear.
While playing with his sister, he declared that his Superhero "Is Little Big like me. And he can do anything that a big person does." Ryan and his sister continued their play as if he only casually mentioned something about Superman's cape. But he didn't. He said more. So much more. He said "I like myself." He told me that he is listening to my ramblings about dwarfism. And that he hears me when I say that being little doesn't mean that he has fewer opportunities. He said "I'm going to be ok mom". As if he knows that I have a long list of fears that I constantly battle. And most importantly, I heard him say "I love myself". This kid. He loves himself. And he says it in passing.
It's not just me that hears him. His sister and friends hear him too. Ryan makes his size the last thing people see when they meet him. At school when he plays hide-and-seek, kids see a classmate that likes the same things. When he tells jokes and points out the silly, they see a peer that makes them laugh. And when he waves and says hello everyday, they see a friend. They see Ryan.
I wish I could say that we are done building confidence and self-love. But I know that we have barely begun. And I have no idea what the future holds. But what I do know is that Ryan has built a strong foundation for his future. His outlook makes the negative insignificant. His achievements enable him to overcome challenges. His friendships obstruct those that try to bring him down. Today he stands tall and proud. And because of who he is today, he's already accomplished more than I could have imagined.
I'm going to keep rambling. Ryan's going to keep on being Little Big. And we're going to be proud. Today. And the next day. And a million tomorrows after that.
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